Centrifugal guided speed responsive device



May 22, 1951 H. G. ADLER 2,553,736

' CENTRIFUGAL GUIDED SPEED RESPONSIVE DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FHGB.

May 22 195.1 H. G. ADLER 2,553,736

CENTRIF'UGAL GUIDED SPEED RESPONSIVE DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 27, 1941 I 2 SheetS-Sheeb 2 JNVENTOR.

HERMAN G. ADLER ATTORNEYS Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGAL GUIDED SPEED RESPONSIVE DEVICE Herman G. Adler, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Novi Equipment Company, Novi, Mich., a corporation of llichigan 'Ihis invention relates generally to governor structures and constitutes a division of my application led June 21, 1943, bearing Serial No. 491,695, now abandoned, which is a division of my application filed April 12, 1943, bearing Serial No. 492,784, now Patent No. 2,330,657, which is a division of my application filed October 27, 1941, bearing Serial No. 416,760, now Patent No. 2,319,654, dated May 18, 1943.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a governor that maybe combined in such a way with a rotating shaft and a gear on said shaft that space may be conserved and the eciency of the governor will be increased.

Another object is to provide a governor wherein the speed responsive mechanism thereof is located within a recess in the gear and is adapted to actuate means movable axially of the shaft to impart a thrust to a spring biased control lever.

Another object is to provide a governor that is simple in construction, economical to 'manuture, easy to install and effective in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through my complete governor assembly;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end view of the governor construction, partly in section;

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of one element of the drive plate assembly; and

Figure 4 is a detail elevation of the other element of the drive plate assembly.

Referring rst to Figure 1, I have illustrated at I a cam shaft of an internal combustion engine mounted for rotation in a crank case bearing 4 Claims. (Cl. 264-17) II and having keyed or otherwise secured thereto, as indicated at I2, a gear I3.

A detachable engine gear case cover I4 is normally provided, and in the present instance I have modified this cover, as will subsequently be described. In conventional designs, very little clearance exists between the outer side of the cam shaft gear and the case. Furthermore, the space available for governor structure at this point is strictly limited, as for example by engine structure such as the cooling fan. In order to provide the governor mechanism in a minimum of space and to utilize to the fullest the necessary engine structure, the gear I3 having teeth I5 is also formed with a laterally open annular recess I6 which houses a portion of the governing mechanism,

The governing mechanism comprises centrifugal means, indicated generally at I'I, which will now be described.

The annular, laterally open recess I6 is vformed so as to leave a hub portion I8 on the gear, and rotatably mounted on the hub portion I8 are a plate I9 and sleeve 2IlrwhichA rotate together as a unit. The sleeve 2D may be spun or swedged to the plate I9.

The outer end of the cam shaft I0 has a counterbore or socket in which is rotatably received a shaft 26 that in turn is counterbored at its outer end, as will lsubsequently be described in detail, and has a flange 21 securing in place a second annular plate or disc 28.Y The plate 28 vis secured against rotation on the shaft 25, as for example by providing a brazed connection between the flange 21 and the plate or disc 28.

The plate 28 is flat throughout its central portion but its periphery is inclined inwardly toward the plate I9 as indicated at 29.

As a result of this construction, a space 29a tapering in a radially outwarddirection is defined by the plate I9 and the inclined portion 29 of the plate 28.

Intermediate the plates I9 and 28 I provide a plurality of steel balls 30, and in the present instance I have illustrated nine such balls. A drive plate assembly indicated generally at 3| isY provided for rotating the balls about the axis of the cam shaft Il) as the cam shaft rotates while' the engine is running. V

The drive plate assembly 3| will subsequently be described in detail, but for the present it is sufficient to note that the same is keyed or otherwise secured to a reduced portion 32 of the cam shaft and is held in place thereon by means of a washer 33 and a nut 34 threaded on a further reduced portion 35 of the cam shaft. The engine gear case cover I4 is provided with a central opening surrounded by a thickened portion 4I, and a cover plate 42 is provided for the opening 4I) and is secured to the thickened portion 4I by means of bolts 43. The cover plate 42 is shaped to provide an outwardly projecting inwardly open boss 45, in which is mounted a pin or shaft 46, best seen in Figure 2, 'I'he pinv 46 is seated at one end, as indicated at 41, in a socket formed at one end of the boss and extendsi outwardly through an opening, as indicated atl 48, at the other end of the boss. Suitable rollerbearings for supporting the shaft 46 are indicated at 49, and an oil seal is providedas indicated at 50.

` Pinned to the shaft 46 at substantially its mid* portion and-withinv the inwardlyopening recess provided. by the boss 45. is a short lever arm which terminates at its free end in a flat portion 52, which is preferably hardened for a purpose3 which will later appear. The outer end of the shaft 46 has secured thereto a lever 55.which is provided at its free end with a link 56 adapted to be connected in the usual. manner to the carburetor throttle (not shown).

Resilient means are provided for biasing the levers 55 and 5| in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure l, so as to cause the flattened surface. 52 of the lever 5| to engage a portionof the cenf-V trifugal means. This resilient means takes the form of a coil compression spring 51 having a seat 58 pivoted at 59 to the lever 55 and an ad"- justable seat 60 carried by an adjustingbolt 6.! provided with a lock nut 62. As will be apparent, the compression of the spring and hencethe.ad justment of the governor may be varied by suitable adjustment of the bolt 6|.

The shaft 2E is provided at its free end with a relatively large counterbore |55` and a smallery counterbore 66. Seated Within the counterbore 6 .is a plug 6] having a forwardly extending projection E8v which projects beyondthe bottom of theeounterbore 65. A plurality of small ball bearings 69 are provided in the bottom of the counterbore 65 about the projection 68. A larger ballfill is seated Within the counterbore E5 and engages the plurality of ball bearings 69. The ball is retained within the counterbore Siiby reason of a looking ring 1|, and a portion of the ball 10 projects outwardly beyond the adjacent end of the shaft 26.

As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 1,` the ball 'Hlv engages the fiat hardened surface 52 of the lever 5| when the shaft 26, is moved outwardly in its counterbore by reason of radial-outward movement ofthe balls 38 under centrifugal action. This movement of the parts is ofv courseopposed by the compression spring 57|, as will be readily apparent.

During` operation of the governor, whenthe outer plate 28 moves axially as a resultiof radially outward movement of the balls 3D, itcauses lever 51| .torotate about its axis. As aresult of this movementof the lever 5|, a point-onthe,surfacev 5,2, which engages the ball 10, moves in an arc. Therefore, if the ball '|0- werenot mountedfor rotation, there would be rubbing and friction between this ball and the flat surface 52; However, sinceV the ball 10 is free to rotate within the counterbore (i5,` and since it is further supported by a plurality of ball bearings 6 9, friction between the `ball 10 and theY surface 52 is reduced toga negligible quantity. This in turn reduces the side: thrust' on thev shaft 26, makingthe governor `perf formance highly responsive and eliminating lag.

The counterbore 65 isso small that the, useV of tools during assembly of balls 69 isimpossible., In order to permit this assembly to be easily made, Without toolsthe projection S8 causes the balls4 to assume theirproper relationship. Accordingly it is only necessary to introduce the proper numf' ber of ball bearings 69 vinto the counterbore B51 and to thereafter introduce the large` ball 'Illy therein. The ball 10, in conjunction with the. projection 68will thereupon force the ball bear-1` ings E9 to assume their proper operating position, and the ring 'Il maythen ,be snapped into the groove provided therefor in the interior of thecounterbore B5.

As is apparent, the governor may be assembled onthe .cam shaft I0A while thesame is inlhorzontal position, and itis accordingly very de"-v sirable to introduce the governor balls 30 in properly assembled relation. I have found that this may be accomplished in a very satisfactory manner by providing a governor ball drive assembly which serves as a cage to retain the balls in properly assembled relation. Generally described, this cage comprises an annular plate having generally radially extending slots, the side walls of which are inclined inwardly so as to retain the balls 3|] in place.

More specifically., the drive plate assembly 3| is made up of .two separate metal plates 18 and 80 respectively. Asl shown, the plate 'I8 is provided with a` central opening 19, adapted to receive the reduced portion 32fof the cam shaft IU. A keyway |2-isprovided at an edge of the opening 'i9 whereby the plate 18 may be keyed upon the cam shafttovrotate therewith. A plurality of radially extending elongated slots 13 are provided in the plateJB, and flanges 'l5which taper inwardly-at a'slight angle are-provided throughout the edges.

ofv said slots.- 'Ifhe slots 13 are closed at their. opposite ends, and theouteredgeof-the plate-18,- is bent upwardly as indicated at'l; A pluralityof oil holes 'H are-alsdprovidedin therplatev 1B for,-

a purpose, which willpresently appear.

The plate 8B has alcentral openingl adapted to receive the reduced portion-32. of` the camshaft Hi, and has akeyway, 82,:atan edgeof the opening 8| so that the plate 8|).may be keyed uponthe cam shafttorotate therewith. The plate 8D, is of smaller diaineterrthanAtheplate 18- and is provided with slots 83 whichV are open atA their outer ends. The slots 83fare. the same in number, spacing and general arrangementas the slots 'i3 previouslyl referredl to, and differ therefrom/primarily in thefactthat they are not closed at their outer ends.v The -plate 80 is. provided throughoutthe edges'of theslots 83 withinwardly tapering flanges 85,andis provided with oil holesf'l, similar to the oil holes'l'l.

From the. foregoing,l itY willi-be` apparent. that when theplatesjl and l 80 vare assembled asshown in Figure` 1, .the` balls y3-located within theslotsy 13 and4 83 will be retainedin/position by reason of the inward inclinationfof the flanges and 85.-

Accordingly,` in order to assemble `the plates and balls, the balls are first positimiedv in theV slots of,

one of the plates, the second plateis then brought into registry` with-the first plate, and thetwo platesl are secured vtogetlienasg.for example by spot welding. By virtuefoffthisarrangement, theballs 3|lrareY permanentlylretained in the drive plate assembly 3| Vbut areffreely movabley in a.

radial direction` an arnou-ntf` dependingupon the length of the elongated slots thus-providedeA The foregoingconstrutionisvery desirable in esserne bling myimprovedgovernor structure, since the,

balls are first perrnanently-.-assembled in the drive plate assembly therefor and may be,l introduced as a unit into the recess lformed in thegear I3.

Lubrication is. provided for the governor through an oiljholegto'whichoil is introduced` under pressure.. Aseee nd oil passage 9|` and an oil-receiving ring -9,2 fare form-ed in thecam shaft l() and are-adaptedto receive oil in the order named from theoil hole 9|). From the oilnreceiving.ring, .92 oil flows through a passage` 93' toa similarpassage 94 formed in the gear I3, thence through yoil holes; 'l1 and 81 formed in the platesl8 andfespectively, and

thence outwardly. thllllgl'l` similar holes formed` As best seen in Figure l, the plated!!4 `has.a

'very slight `clearance with respect to the radially extending outward walls vof the recess I6, and I have found that the provision of thetransverse openings |06 in this plate aredesirable to prevent any possibility of a dash-pot effect taking place upon inward or outward movement of the plate 28 under the influence of the centrifugal means I'I on the one hand, andthe resiliently biased levers 55 and 5l on the other hand..

For holding the cam shaft l against axial displacement, I have provided a washer Il between a shoulder lilla formed on the cam shaft and a second shoulder |02 fonmed on the gear-I3,

With the foregoing description in mind, the assembly of the governor should be apparent. The gear I3 is mounted von the reduced portion 32 of the cam; shaft ID. The sleeve 2B and its associated plate i9 are mounted on the inner hub portion of the gear IS. The drive plate assemply together with the preassembled balls 30 is placed on the reduced portion 32 of the cam shaft in keyed relation and is' assembled thereon by the washer 33 and nut 3Q. The shaft 2G with its preassembled ball 70 and its plate 28 is then slipped into the counterbore in the end of the cam shaft IE). This completes the assembly of the centrifugal part of the governor.

In like manner the operation of the governor should be readily apparent. Upon rotation of the cam shaft I0 a like rotation is imparted to the drive plate assembly 3|, thus rotating the balls 30 about the axis of the cam shaft I0. As a result of the centrifugal action thus developed, the balls 30 tend to move radially outwardly, such movement being limited by the elongated slots 'I3 and 8S which receive the balls. Outward movement of the balls tends to move the plate 28 axially, thus moving the shaft 26 also axially of the cam shaft ID. This motion of the shaft 26 is opposed by the lever 5 l, which is resiliently urged in a clockwise direction by the compression spring 51. Accordingly, the radially outward movement of the balls 3B is arrested at a point dependent upon the geometry of the governor. The governor is lubricated by oil passing through the oil passages 9i, 92, S3, 94, l1 and 8l.

My improved governor not only is characterized by the small amount of space which it takes ,up but also by its simplicity of design and construction. Attention is also directed to the fact that the thrust developed by the centrifugal means is applied coaxially of the cam shaft. This contributes to the efficiency of the operation and prevents the possibility of any unbalanced force acting on different ones of the centrifugal balls 30.

It may be pointed out that during operation of the governor while the gear I3 is rotating, the plates IS and 28 will normally pick up the same speed of rotation as the balls 30 but that upon change in speed of the engine, the plates I9 and 28 may have a slight differential rotation in order that the balls 39 may roll smoothly to a new position.

While I have illustrated and described in considerable detail a single preferred embodiment of my improved governor, it will be understood that this has been done solely to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A governor comprising a cam shaft, a gear keyed to said cam shaft at one end thereof, the outer side of said gear having an annular recess concentric with the axis of said cam shaft, the inner wall of said annular recess forming a hub, a first plate rotatable on said hub, a. radially slotted driver keyed to said hub, balls in the slots of said driver, a second plate movable axially of said cam shaft, said plates together defining an outwardly tapering annular space and engaging said balls, at least portions of said plates, said driver and said balls being located within said annular recess, a thrust bearing concentric and movable with said axially movable plate, a gear case having an opening opposite to said annular recess, a removable cover plate for said opening adjacent the end of said cam shaft, a governor lever pivoted to said plate having an inner arm inside said cover and engaging said thrust bearing, the outer arm of said lever extending outwardly beyond said cover, and a main governor spring connected to said outer arm and biasing said inner arm against said bearing.

2. In an engine having a cam shaft, a gear at one end of said shaft, a gear case having a wall closely adjacent to the end of said shaft, a circular recess in the outer face of said gear, a first plate rotatably mounted in said recess, a radially slotted driver plate mounted in said recess for rotation with said gear and cam shaft, a second plate having a tapered peripheral portion extending into said recess, mounting means mounting said second plate for both rotational and axia1 movement relative to said gear and cam shaft, centrifugal balls in the slots of said driver plate engaging the adjacent surfaces of said rst and second plates, said gear case having an opening therein to accommodate axial movement of said second plate, a removable cover for said opening, a lever pivoted to said cover having an inner end engaging the mounting means for said second plate and an outer arm, and an adjustable governor spring biasing said lever into engagement with said mounting means.

3. In an engine having a cam shaft, a gear at one end of said shaft, a gear case having a wall closely ,adjacent to the end of said shaft, a circular recess in the outer face of said gear, a first plate rotatably mounted in said recess, a radially slotted driver plate mounted in said recess for rotation with said gear and cam shaft, a second plate, said first and second plates having converging peripheral portions, centrifugal balls in the slots of said driver plate engaging the adjacent surfaces of said rst and second plates, said gear case having an opening therein to accommodate axial movement of said second plate, a removable cover for said opening, a lever pivoted to said cover having an inner end engaging the mounting means for said second plate and an outer arm, and an adjustable governor spring biasing said lever into engagement with said mounting means.

4. A governor comprising an engine cam shaft having a shaft bearingadjacent one end, a gear keyed to said shaft at its said one end outwardly from said shaft bearing, said gear having an annular recess in its outer side, said shaft having a coaxial cylindrical recess in its said one end, a gear case having a wall extending transversely of and closely adjacent to the said one end of said shaft, the gear case having an opening therethrough in registry with and at least as large as said annular recess, a removable cover plate for said opening, a governor lever 15 having an intermediate portion pivoted in an 'ag-mmc 7 opening through said coverplate" and-comprisiingl al1-inner arm insidesaid gear case 'having a thrustreceiving surface located on' the axisof saidsliaftv` and movable generally axially there of; and an outer arm, a governor spring extend# ing between said outer armand said gearr case, centrifugally operated means comprising a short shaft section mounted for free rotation andaxial movement in said cylindrical recess, adislied thrust plate carriedby said short shaftrsection, radially movable centrifugal elementsbearing against said thrust plate, drive means secured to saidfshaft for rotatingsaid elements, a bear ing at the outer end of said short shaft section engaging the thrust receiving surface of said inner` arm, said thrust plate, centrifugal elements and drive means being located at least partly in said annular recess, saidthrust"v plate being axially* movablei inf the: opening in said gearf case iri-operi.tioi'1,il said thrust plate, cen'- trifug-alelements and-drive means being-removable and-insertablethrough the opening in said gear' case.`

HERMAN G. ADLER.

REFERENCES' CITED The following references are of record in the file of' this patent:V

UNITEDISTATES PATENTS Number' Name`V Date 729,625 Mathieu June 2, 1903 1,351,660 Kathe' Aug. 31, 1920 1,480,309 Short' Jan. 8, 1924 2,250,982 AdlerV July 29, 1941 

